History | The Bomb That Didn't Explode: Population and Resources
W300 | 22065 | Riley

A portion of the above section reserved for majors
Above section open to undergraduates only
Above section COLL intensive writing section
In the 1970s many experts believed that global population was
growing at so unsustainable a pace that an explosion of hunger,
desperation, and misery was certain to come. This is the population
bomb. Population was rising much faster than it had ever done
before. But this bomb has not yet exploded. Why not? How did the
global community manage to avoid the crisis predicted for it?
Was this crisis really avoided, or was it just deferred? The impact
of HIV/AIDS notwithstanding, global population is still growing
rapidly. Will there be a crisis of subsistence in coming years? Or
have we humans founds ways to accommodate not just the 6 billion
people alive around 2000 but also the additional 3 billion more
expected by 2050?
This class satisfies the intensive writing requirement. Lectures,
class analysis and discussion of important problems and issues,
interesting reading and video material. Grades will be based on
seven papers, class discussion, and reports.